Subliminal Attraction
by RazzDazz
Summary: The Treasury and Finance Department was under the Spartan domain of Minister Ko Houjo. Shuurei faltered in her pace as she saw dimmed lights in the department. The only person in that department who went home as late as she was Minister Ko...


Shuurei Kou stretched while yawning. She closed the text on budgeting for arts and crafts education penned by the green province articulate art connoisseur, Yang Tze Kang. She had been the deputy minister for the education, arts and culture department for nearly five months now and had a few ideas that she'd already relayed to her boss, Minister Meng.

The old man was agreeable to her ideas because they were viable. However, to make them a reality, he advised her to get Senior Yang's views. But comrade Senior Yang was a traditionalist. He saw women as those who would be subservient to the male species and walked behind their fathers, brothers, or husbands. The thought of women as imperial officers was never approved by him being one of the ten judges for the imperial government civil service examination.

He thought it to be insulting that women were on equal footing with men of authority. How was she supposed to talk to him about her ideas? Well, she couldn't think more about it tonight. She was tired. She was a little famished too. She was glad that the emperor had decreed that late supper would be provided for staff who worked after seven and late into the night. Then she looked at her hands. There were smudges of ink on her right fingers.

She blew the lights out from the few lamps in her department. She was the only one left in her department to depart. She was always the last one out. She locked the door and took one lighted lamp. She heard the night time bearer beating the big drum to indicate that it was ten at night. No wonder she was famished. She only had vegetable wonton soup for breakfast. The patrolling guards nodded her way.

She did the same as she took out a worn light green handkerchief from inside her government official robe. She rubbed her stained fingers furiously as she walked slowly towards the west corridor. Her stomach was growling and she hastened her pace. The west corridor housed the Treasury and Finance Department. It was under the Spartan domain of Minister Houjo Ko. She faltered in her pace as she saw dimmed lights in the department.

The only person in that department who went home as late as she was Minister Ko. She gulped as she tiptoed across that department's threshold. But her eyes caught sight from the octagon window of the man in a mask with his long jet black hair tied neatly peering attentively at a worksheet. Why must he wear that mask? It was sweltering wearing it. It was not good for his complexion either wearing the mask all day long.

At a time like this while no one was around he could take the mask off. Then she saw him rubbing his crown with two fingers. He tilted his head gently to the left and right. He placed a hand behind his nape and slowly messaging it. That's not going to help him. The stiffness would still be there. She knew because she had experienced it. She saw his hand strayed from his nape to his torso. Still he did not take off his mask.

She hadn't a doubt he was as hungry as she was. And she was certain he was having a headache too. That silly man! How could he not get a headache? He was so immersed in his work that he'd forgotten time and the need for the body to eat and relax. She clamped her mouth, what was she so concerned about. He wasn't the silly one. She was also the same! She quickly went to the make shift cafeteria manned by two night guards and two kitchen assistants.

"Two take away with thermos hot tea," Shuurei informed the kitchen assistant nearest to her.

"Two take aways coming up," the kitchen helper said with a smile, "Wah! Miss Shuurei, today you ordered two take aways. I reckon you didn't take lunch and skipped tea time, right? You can't do that. It's not good for your body."

"I know but it can't be helped. Umm, tell you what," Shuurei put a forefinger up, "Starting tomorrow please send two set lunches with thermos hot tea to me."

"Hai," the kitchen helper nodded then he stared at her, "T-two?" He gestured showing her a V sign indicating for two.

Shuurei nodded, "Two," as she took two bamboo containers from the baffled kitchen helper, "Thank you."

"Why two?" The kitchen helper looked at his peer who shrugged at him.

Shuurei was in front of the Treasury and Finance Department. She entered slowly into the department, "Excuse me, I'm coming in."

She looked for the man in question and found him not at his table but instead she saw him sitting on a long three seat at an obscured corner of the room. He stretched his long legs while he clasped his hands on his torso. His hair was let loose. But he still wore that mask. She frowned slightly. Although, it was not her problem but she couldn't let go of the form he was in. It wasn't even a good sleeping position.

It would not help his stiff neck or his headache. Sleeping like this would make his ankle or feet to swell. She put the food containers on the table in front her. She looked for a foot stool and found it next to the long seat. Her frown deepened, it was near him and he couldn't even … Then again, looking at him now she knew he was very tired because he snored in his sleep even though the snoring was light.

She took the foot stool and placed one booted foot on it then the other. At least the blood circulation would flow better. She slowly stood up, her eyes shifted to the sleeping man. She went to his side, bent slightly to remove the mask off his face. She sighed in relief and awe and was a little envious. His complexion was clear. His face was as handsome as her mother's clansmen.

She hadn't a doubt that he might have the same bloodline as that elusive clan. He opened his eyes and looked at her. Her eyes widened in slight panic, what was she to do? She couldn't move. The mask fell to the floor with a light thud. She was 'pinned' to the ground with just a look. What sort of look was he giving her? That look made her shudder out of volition her hand went to her throat.

Her throat felt dry, her lips were too. She pressed her lips together, she wanted to run away. Then she inhaled deeply to calm herself. She exhaled through her mouth slowly. Yes, she was here to give him food. No big deal since she saw him half dead while passing his department. She let her hand on her throat fall to the side. With the same hand she gestured at the bamboo containers.

"For you," Shuurei said in a small voice, "to eat," she nodded as if to confirm to herself.

"There are two," Houjo glanced at the two bamboo containers, "One is for you, I presume."

She nodded while taking hers, "since you're awake, please eat before you go back."

She felt awkward because she was staring at his lips rather than his face. It made her think of that incident in the library where they accidentally kissed… or was that an illusion of her delusional mind. Whatever that was it made her become more aware of him as a man with each passing day, the man she first thought of as an angel. Her heart was picking up momentum because he was staring at her.

She had to leave the room quickly. She couldn't afford to falter in front of him. But he raised a hand to rub his head. He titled his head forward, his long silky hair covering part of his face. Her heart skipped a beat. He looked ill. She quickly put her bamboo container on the table and immediately sat next to him. She opened the meal container and poured the tea into a porcelain tea cup.

She blew the hot tea and slowly brushed his hair aside, "Minister Ko, please take a sip. You'll feel better. This is a little hot so it's good for your stomach."

He looked at the tea cup with one opened eye, his lips opened slightly. She gently guided the cup to his lips and tilted the cup. He drank the liquid in slowly. She set the cup aside. She took the rice without any accompaniments. He wouldn't be able to enjoy the accompaniments but the rice was soft and warm so it was good for a weary body.

"Minister Ko," with the rice in chopsticks she placed it on his lips, "eat this." She said gently.

He obediently opened his mouth and the rice slipped into his mouth. He chewed slowly and swallowed it slowly. After five or six mouthfuls he shook his head and she gave him tea to wash it down. She looked at the balance and being a person who had experienced poverty and hardship, wasting food was not something she liked and so she ate the balance while Houjo took his nap.

She was full and thought that she would leave the other bamboo container filled with food for him to eat when he woke up. She was about to stand when she felt a dead weight on her lap. She glanced down and was shocked to see his head on her lap. His hair was covering his face. He was snoring lightly on her lap! She gulped, her eyes wide with bewilderment. What to do?

"Minister Ko," she called softly.

No answer. Of course it was natural he didn't respond to her. He was sleeping like a log.

"Oh," She blinked as his hand grabbed her outer robe as if it gave him comfort to hold the garment.

She gulped in apprehension, it was an intimate gesture. What to do? She couldn't do anything except sit there like a log. She glanced at his face. His sleeping face was so peaceful. He looked beautiful even though there were faint lines on his forehead and eyes due to worries. She instinctively rubbed the lines gently with the pads of her fingers. He was a very hard working official. He was also a brilliant treasurer and looked into every single detail meticulously.

Without realizing she stroked his hair and yawned with one hand covering her mouth. She felt her eyes heavy. She was just as tired as he was. She stopped stroking his hair and fell asleep. She didn't know for how long she had been asleep. When she opened her eyes, she found him staring at her. They were in an awkward position again. Her hand on his chest and his hand still held her outer robe.

Her other hand paused in a stroking motion in his hair. Her eyes widened in shock. Her heart was beating fast. What had she done? She quickly loosened her stroking motion from his hair and placed that hand at the side of her thigh. Why did she do it? She moved the other hand on his chest to the other side of her thigh. She looked left and right. What if people saw?

"We're in a hidden corner." Houjo said lazily, "No one would see this intimacy act between you and me, Deputy Minister Kou."

She glared at him, "E-even so," then she glared at his hand still on her outer robe, "this is highly inappropriate."

"What's inappropriate?" He smiled at her.

"This," she indicated his head on her lap, "My legs are numb because of you,"

"Thank you," He caught her hand and gave it a kiss. "I had a very good sleep. I couldn't sleep without a good firm pillow."

She gasped, "I'm not a pillow," She retracted her hand from his grasp, "Will you please get up now?"

He released her robe and slowly raised his head from her lap and in a flash of a moment turned his head towards hers and brushed his lips against hers. It wasn't kissing, but it was just a touch of seduction on his part and his eyes crinkled with glee looking at her reaction. She blushed and she was frozen on the spot. Then she shook her head vigorously and stood up.

"You," she touched her lips, "this…" and paused, "this… you…"

"Hmm," he smiled at her, "it's my thanks for your … tender… loving … care…" he uttered each word gratifyingly but with a tinge of seduction.

She put her palms on her cheeks, "Well, this is the limit," and whirled around, "I'll have to remember not to be too thoughtful of …." she walked quickly, "pervy old men."

He nearly burst out laughing but he quelled it with "Do you want me to accompany you to your quarters?"

She stopped as if remembering that it was midnight, "With you… no, no…" she hastened her pace, she wouldn't take a chance with this man and slipped out of his department in a wobbly state and called a guard who was patrolling in the same vicinity, "Guard, can you please accompany me to the imperial officers' quarters?"

He chuckled to himself. She thought he was asleep but in actual fact he was enjoying every moment of her touching him. She seemed to not notice that she was attracted to him. Although she was denying it but somehow subconsciously she was drawn to him as he was drawn to her. He was saddened that her small hands were calloused when she stroked his head and rubbed his temples with the pads of her fingers because of all the hard work she did.

But he was also warmed that her hands took care of every one in and out of her household. His household had been empty of a woman's touch and love for a long time. He was just as empty and he wanted her to fill that emptiness with her love and warmth. He hoped she would in time accept him and to love him even though their age difference was wide.

Even now looking at the empty bamboo container he smiled, she ate from the same container as he did. What were the odds of her liking him more than eating from the same container and leaving the other for him to eat for later? What about him giving her access to remove his mask like he did just now? That made for an even better food for thought.

Hmm, she thought he didn't notice that she was peeking at him from the octagon window but he did. He pretended not to notice and was moved when she came to him just to ease his burden when she was also as tired as he was. This sort of woman, how could he let her go? He could not let this woman go. He would not let her go. She was his love, his life and his everything.

THE END

**A/N: This is a one-shot continuation from Red Pearl. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I may write more stories of this pair but it won't be so soon. So be on the look out for the sequel to this story. **


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